Leaded slat unit forming machine



Dec. 27, 1949 w. H. wlLcox LEADED SLAT UNIT FORMING MACHINE 4Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 21, 1947 INVENTOR P llll ll.-

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ATTORNEYS .Dec. 27, 1949 Filed Oct. 21, 1947 w. H. wlLccx LEADED SLATUNIT FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1949 W. H.WILCOX LEADED SLAT UNIT FORMING" MACHINE Filed Oct. 2]., 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ZU- Jfi. Wilcox ATTORNEYS 9 1949- w. H. WILCOXLEADED SLAT UNIT FORMING MACHINE File d Oct; 21, 1947 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4Ildg. 4

' INVENTOR w. f6. Wilcox ATTORNEYS pencils comprises relation to saidface Patented Dec. 27,1949

LEADED SLAT UNIT FORMING MACHINE William H. Wilcox, Stockton, Calif.,assignor to California Cedar Products Company, Stockton, Calif., acorporation of California Application October 21, 1947, Serial No.781,208

12 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to an improved machine for usein the wooden pencil manufacturing industry.

One of the steps in the manufacture of wooden in a plurality ofsemi-circular, transversely spaced grooves extending lengthwise in oneface of a wooden pencil slat, and then affixing, by gluing, anothersimilarly grooved slat in matching whereby to snugly enclose the leadsand form a unit from which a number of rough cut pencils may be sawed.

In particular the present invention is directed to, and it is an objectto provide, a novel power driven machine operative to automaticallyassemble such slat and pencil lead units, as in the preceding paragraph,preparatory to sawing such units into rough cut pencils.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine, as above, whichcomprises, in novel combination, a conveyor table adapted to feed a rowof the initially grooved slats in a predetermined path, and a rotary,lead laying mechanism cooperating with such row, in timed relation,whereby to deposit a single, initially separate pencil lead in eachgroove with passage of the slats.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine, of the typedescribed, which includes,

beyond the lead laying mechanism, a novel slat feeding mechanismarranged to automatically apply to each leaded slat of the row, theother and cooperating matching slat which completes the slat unit; suchother slat preferably carrying the glue substance which adheres theengaged slats in unitary relation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a rotary, leadlaying mechanism, for the above machine, which is of unique constructionand operation, including a rotary disc assembly peripherally notched forthe reception, and feeding in accurately timed relation, of the pencilleads to the grooved slats on the conveyor table.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical, economicaland smooth operating machine, and one which will be exceedinglyeffective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional elevation of the rotary,lead laying mechanism.

placing initially separate leads Fig. 3 is a cross section, enlarged, online 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear end view of the machine,-partly broken away.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the slat conveyor system,beyond the lead laying mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the charactors of reference on thedrawings, the machine comprises an upstanding, horizontally elongatedmain frame i supported from the floor and including transversely spacedside beams 2, between which a horizontal conveyor table assembly 3 ismounted.

The leading laying mechanism is indicated generally at 4, and cooperateswith said conveyor table assembly 3 from above and. intermediate theends of the latter. Such conveyor table assembly comprises a pair ofendless, longitudinally extending belt conveyors 5 and 6 disposed aheadof and beyond, respectively, the lead laying mechanism 4.

Adjacent ends of the belt conveyors 5 and 6 are spaced, and between suchends the conveyor table assembly 3 includes a yieldable platform I, andtransversely spaced slat hold-down shoes 8 floatably cooperate therewithfrom above.

Some distance ahead of the slat hold-down shoes 8, and the lead layingmechanism 4, there are transversely spaced, longitudinally extendingslat hold-down fingers 9 disposed above the edge portions of the upperrun of the endless belt conveyor 5 a distance slightly greater than thethickness of a pencil slat.

The pencil slats iii are rectangular by elongated, and On one faceinclude a plurality of transversely spaced, longitudinally extendingsemicircular grooves I preformed in said slats.

One operational purpose of the present machine is to place,automatically, in each of such grooves H of the slats I0, an initiallyseparate length of pencil lead; these leads being indicated at 12, andthe same are of a length approximating the length of said slats.

At the front end of the machine the latter includes, in connection withthe main frame I, an upstanding, forwardly inclined slat hopper l3 inwhich a multiplicity of the slats H] are disposed transversely, with thegrooved faces upward. The slats Ill are fed, one at a time and in spacedrelation from the bottom of the hopper I3, by an endless transferconveyor I4 01 cleat type which delivers in turn to the lower end of anendless cleat-type elevator conveyor l5 disposed ata forward and upwardslope and arranged to deliver the slats onto the upper run of theendless belt conveyor 5.

The slats as fed onto the upper run of the endless belt conveyor 5 aredisposed transversely on the latter in confinement between the sidebeams 2, and further the speed' of the conveyors is such that said slatsabut in edge-to-edge relation on said upper run, whereby the slats feedin a continuous or unbroken row below the lead laying mechanism 4.

The endless belt conveyors 5 and 6 are driven by endless chain andsprocket units [6 from cross shafts l1, and the latter are in turnactuated by another endless chain and sprocket unit 18 which is drivenfrom a countershaf-t l9 journaled transversely in the frame. Thecountershaft I9 is driven from a gear box 20 actuated from an electricmotor 2! by an endless belt 22. The endless elevator conveyor l5 drivesfrom the conveyor 5, while the endless transfer conveyor .14 "drivesfrom said elevator conveyor l5.

With the above arrangement the several described conveyors may be run indesired predetermined timed relation. This timed relation is such thatthe row of slats on the conveyor table assembly 3 is continuous orunbroken ahead of, and below, the lead laying mechanism, but be- .yondthe latter and on the endless belt conveyor -6 the slats are spacedapart somewhat, as shown. This is accomplished by a differential inspeed between the conveyors 5 and 6.

The row of slats on the conveyor table assembly 3 is indicated generallyat 23, and as such row of slats passes over the yieldable platform 7 inheld-down relation by the shoes 8, the lead laying mechanism 4 functionsin automatic, accu- -;rately-t-imed relation to deposit a single lead 12in each of the grooves l i. This lead laying mechanism 4 is constructedand functions as follows:

Somewhat beyond the yieldable platform 1., the main frame I includes apair of upstanding, transversely spaced side posts 24 fitted at the topwith rearwardly extending side plates 25 gen- -erally above theplatform 1. A longitudinal, sup.. porting arm 26 is journaled at one endin connection with a cross shaft 2-! for vertical adjustment, andextends rearwardly from said cross shaft to a-termination in overhangingrelation to said yieldable :platform I, but below the side plates 25.This supporting arm 26 is vertically adjustable by means of anadjustment device, indicated generally-at '2 8.

At its rearmost or free end the supporting arm 26, which is disposedlengthwise, and centrally between the sides, of the conveyor tableassembly3, is fitted with a gear box 29, through which a cross shaft 39extends in journaled relation. On opposite sides of the gear box 29 thecross shaft 30 is provided with fixed hubs 3|, and lead laying discs 32of circular configuration are secured against the outer ends of the hubs3| by hand nuts 33 threaded onto projecting end portions of said crossshaft 39. These lead laying discs 32 are peripherally notched, as at 34,with the notches equally spaced and preferably of saw-toothconfiguration therebetween. Correspondi-ng notches 34 are alinedtransversely of the machine, and the discs 32 run adjacent but laterallyinwardly of the slat hold-down shoes 8.

The cross shaft 30 is driven by a bevel gear unit 35 in the gear box 29,which bevel gear unit 35 is.in turn operated by a longitudinal shaft 36which extends from the gear box 29 to a similar gear box 31 associatedwith the cross shaft 2 1.;

4 there being a ear system (not shown) between said cross shaft 2! andthe longitudinal shaft 36 within the gear box 31.

The cross shaft 21 is driven by an endless chain and sprocket unit 38from the endless belt conveyor 6. With this driving arrangement, thelead laying discs 32 are driven at a peripheral speed exactly the sameas the speed 'of the advancing slat row 23.

By mechanism hereinafter described, the individual leads I 2 are fed tothe assembly of the lead laying discs 32 at the top thereof, with eachlead engaging in corresponding notches 34 and spanning between saiddiscs; escape of the leads from the discs being prevented, on theirdownward course or path of movement, by an upstanding, lead retaining.guard 39. As each lead reaches the bottom of the lead laying discassembly, it escapes the discs 32 and falls into a then matching one ofthe grooves l I; the arm 26 being vertically adjusted so that the discs32 11111 close to the grooved upper surface of the-adjacent slat Ill onthe yieldable platform 1-. Thus, as the row 23 of slats 18 pass belowtherotating .lead laying disc assembly, the grooves H havezleadsautomatically placed therein, and the leads thenceforth travel with theslats of said-row-on-to the endless belt conveyor 6, On the upper run ofthe endless belt conveyor 6 the slats arespaced apart or gapped, as at40, as previously described.

The assembly of the lead lay'ingdiscsidz is supplied withthe individualleads-42 by means of the following arrangement:

Generally above the cross shaft 2-! and supported between the side:posts 2 11s a hopper box 4| in which a supply of the leads i2 isdisposed transversely of the machine. -Anr-endless,fiexible feeder beltconveyor 42 is journaled between the side posts 24 with the adjacentand-upwardly moving run of said belt conveyor. workingwi-thin thehopper-box-4I. Such endless feeder i-belt conveyor 42 is transverselyg-rooved,-a's at 43,'and each groove picks up one of the leads 12' assaid one run passes through the hopper box '41.. At the upper end of theconveyor 32, the leads 1'2 transfer from the grooves 4| onto a pair of.transversely spaced cross-over bars 44 mounted in connection with theside plates 25, *andth'ehce said leads extend as a stack at a downwardand rearward incline on transversely'spaced stack supporting bars 45which lead downwardly to corresponding discs 32 extending laterallyinwardly of thezsa'm'e and to a termination beyond 'iZhQLfiBI'HThGPi'ESthereof. The stack of leads I2 :as "supported by the bars 45 isheldagainst deformation by an adjustable guide plate structure 46.

The stack of :leacls is 'indicatedgenera'lly at 4'1, and with thedescribed 'a-rrangementfor the support thereof, the lowermost leadrinsuch' stack is -successively picked off and carried away by the assemblyof the discs :32 for. the lead lay ingoperation previously described.

The endless feeder beltconveyor 4-2- is driven at such speed as tomaintain the stack 4-! substantially full at all times 'and thecross-over bars 44 are spaced apart such distance that too short leadswhich may be "delivered by the conveyor 42 onto said bars do not remainsupported th'er'eby, but fall downwardly into 'a reject receptacle 48.The conveyor 42 is driven at proper speed, and in any suitablemannerpfrom the endless-chain and sprocket unit 38 which drivestthecross shaft 21.

After the slats I'll have the leads :42 placed into =thegro0ves I Landsaid slats advance on the conveyor 6 with the :gaps :4-0 \therebetween,sa-id '5 slats are picked up at the discharge end of said conveyor 6 byan endless chain conveyor 49 of cleat type; the cleats being spacedabout the conveyor equally, and being shown at 59. The endless chainconveyor 49 delivers directly onto a further endless chain conveyor 51,also of cleat type and including cleats 52; the cleats 52 of theconveyor running in trailing relation to the corresponding cleats 56 ofthe conveyor 49 so that as said leaded slats deliver onto the conveyor5! fromthe conveyor 49, there is a definite dwell or period when saidslats remain stationary. The common cross shaft 53 of the conveyors 49and 5! is driven by an endless chain and sprocket unit 54 from thecountershaft l9, whereby to provide proper timed driving of saidconveyors.

Asthe upwardly facing and leaded slats I6 reach the point of dwell,indicated at 55, and at which point the leaded slats are still intransversely extending relation, a further or top matching slat 55 isapplied to complete the leaded slat unit. The top slat preferablycarries the adhesive which adheres each top slat 56 to the correspondingleaded or bottom slat ID.

The top slats 56, which are pre-grooved and disposed with the groovedface downwardly, are fed-in predetermined timed relation-to engage uponcorresponding grooved or bottom slats it by means of the followingmechanism:

Laterally of the point of dwell 55 of the slats ID on the conveyor 5|,the main frame I is formed with a hopper 51 adapted to receive the topslats 56 in a stack wherein saidslats extend lengthwise transversely ofthe machine. This slat hopper 51 is maintained filled with slats in anysuitable manner, as by means of a hopper and conveyor system, indicatedgenerally at 58, of the same type as the system which includes thehopper 13 and conveyors l4 and I5.

The slats 56 from the hopper 5'! are intermittently fed from the bottomof the latter transversely of the machine toward the conveyor 5|, by anendless, laterally extending forward conveyor 59 of cleat type; theslats in the row fed by the conveyor 59 being in adjacent end-to-endrelation. The conveyor 59 is driven from a gear box 60 by an endlesschain and sprocket unit 6!, and said gear box derives its power from thecountershaft H).

An endless chain and sprocket unit 62, also driven from the countershaftI9, provides the means for power actuating the hopper and conveyorsystem 58.

The endless feed conveyor 59 terminates short of the conveyor 5i, andbetween these elements the row of the slats 56, in end-to-end relation,is supported by transversely spaced rails 63. These rails have a gapbetween adjacent ends, and a glue applying wheel 64 runs in said gap inengagement with the downwardly facing, grooved faces of the slats 56 inthe row, whereby to apply the glue to said faces. The wheel 64 runs atthe bottom in a glue tank 65 and said wheel is rotated from the gear box60 by an endless belt and pulley unit 66.

After application of the glue thereto, the slats 56 are advancedlaterally of the conveyor 5!, and in predetermined timed relation, ontothe corresponding grooved slat ill at the point of dwell 55. The slats56 are thus fed into matching engagement onto the leaded slats II! tocomplete the leaded slat units, indicated at 61, from which rough-cutpencils are adapted to be sawed during a subsequent operational step.From the point of dwell 55 the completed leaded slat units 5! feed fromthe machine as they discharge from the conveyor 5|.

In order to assure of their disposition in a proper horizontal plane,the slats l9,,run,on transversely spaced rails 68, particularly at andadjacent the point of dwell 55. If found necessary, a suction hood 69may be mounted directly over said point of dwell, whereby to impart aslight lift to the top slats 56 as each thereof shifts laterally of themachine over the corresponding, leaded bottom slat II); the slats afterengagement moving or sliding out from under said hood 69 withoutdifficulty.

. The described machine provides an automatic, smooth operatingmechanism for the formation of leaded slat units, each including thepair of matchingly grooved slats with a lead disposed in each groove,and with the slats adhered together.

' From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

VJhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired;

1. A'leaded slat unit forming machine including a supporting frame, aconveyor table mounted on the frame adapted to feed pregrooved slatsalong a predetermined path, with the grooved face of said slats upward,a pencil lead laying mechanism mounted above said path in adjacentrelation to the latter, said mechanism being operative to deposit pencilleads in the grooves of the slats so fed, another mechanism cooperatingwith the conveyor table beyond the lead laying mechanism operative tofeed other pre-grooved slats, with their grooved faces downward intomatching face to face engagement with corresponding ones of the leadedfirst named slats, and means operative to drive said conveyor table andmechanisms in timed relation; said conveyor table including a conveyorsystem arranged so that the leaded first named slats occupy a point ofdwell beyond the lead laying mechanism, and said other mechanism beingtimed in its operation to feed said other slats onto the correspondingones of the leaded first named slats at such point.

2. A leaded slatunit forming machine including a supporting frame, aconveyor table mounted on the frame adapted to feed pregrooved slats ina row along a predetermined path, the slats having their grooved facesupward and the grooves extending transversely of the direction oftravel, a pencil lead laying mechanism mounted above said path inadjacent relation to the latter, said mechanism being operative todeposit pencil leads in the grooves of the slats so fed, and meansarranged to drive the conveyor table and lead laying mechanism in timedrelation; said lead laying mechanism including a supporting armextending lengthwise above the row, means pivoting said arm for verticalswinging motion, a pair of transversely spaced discs journaled on thecross shaft, said discs being correspondingly peripherally notched,means to deliver pencil leads into corresponding notches of said discsabove the low point thereof and with the leads spanning between saiddiscs, and means to prevent-escape of the leads from said notchesuntilzsubstantially the low point of the discs isreached, the leads thenfeeding from the discs one ata time but successively into the grooveswith movement of said row and rotation of said discs 3. A leaded slatunit forming machine including a supporting frame, a conveyor 'tablemounted on the frame adapted to feed pregrooved slats in a row .along apredetermined path, the slats having their grooved faces upward and thegrooves extending transversely of the direction of travel, a pencillead" laying mechanism mounted above said path. in adjacent relation tothe latter, said mechanism being operative to deposit pencil leads inthezgrooves of the slats so fed, and means arranged to drive theconveyor table and lead laying mechanism in timed relation; said leadlaying mechanism including a driven cross shaftjournal'edabove said row,a supporting arm pivoted on the driven cross shaft and extendinglengthwise'of the :row, means to vertically adjust the arm a separatecross shaft journaled on the arm, drive means between said cross shafts,a pair of transversely spaced discs securedon said separate cross shaft,said discs being correspondingly peripherally notched, means to deliverpencil leads into corresponding notches of said discs above the lowpoint thereof and with the leads spanning between said discs, and meansto prevent escape of the leads from said notches until substantially thelow point of the discs is reachedHtheleads then feeding from the discsone ata time but successively into the grooves with movement of said rowand rotation of said discs.

4. A leaded slat unit forming .machine including a supporting frame, aconveyor table mounted on the frame adapted to feed pregrooved :slats ina row along a predetermined path, the slats having-their grooved facesupward and the grooves extending transversely of the direction oftravel, apencil lead laying mechanism mounted above said path inadjacent relation to the latter, said mechanism being 'operative todeposit pencil leads in the grooves of the slats so fed, and meansarranged to drive the conveyor table and lead laying mechanism in timedrelation; said leadlaying mechanism including a rotary unit, disposed tofeed leads one at a time but succesively into the grooves with movementof said row and rotation :of said unit, the rotary unit beingcircumferentiall-y notched with the notches parallel to the axis ofrotation, supporting means for a-stackrof trans.- versely extendingleads, the lower end of said stack riding the peripherally notchedrotary unit to deliver leads into said notches, means to prevent escapeof said leads from the notches until substantially the low point of therotary unit is reached, a hopper for a quantity of pencil leads, andmeans including an endless conveyor to feed leads from the hopper to thetop .of said stack, such endless conveyor being. transversely groovedand one run traveling in the hopper in lead pick-up relation.

5. A leaded =s1at unit forming-machine including .a supporting frame,aconveyor table mounted on the frame adapted to feed ,preqgrooved slatsin a row .along a predetermined path, the slats having their grooved:faces upward and the grooves extending transversely of the-direction oftravel, a :pencil lead laying mechanism .mounted above said path inadjacent relationeto the latter, said mechanism being operative todeposit pencil leadsin thegr-oovesof the slats so fed, and meansarranged to drive the conveyor table and lead'laying mechanism intimedrelation; said lead laying mechanism including a rotary un it disposedto feed leads one at a time but successively into the grooves withmovement of said row and rotation of said unit, the=rotary unit beingcircumferentially notched with the notches parallel to the axis ofrotation, supporting means for a stack of transversely extending leads,the lower end of said stack riding the peripherally notched rotary unitto deliver leads into said notches, means to prevent escape of saidleads from the notches until substantially the low point of the rotaryunit is reached, a hopper for a quantity-of pencil leads, and means tofeed leads fromthe=hopper to the top of said stack including a pair oftransversely spaced bars over which the fed-leads must traverse insupported relation adjacent their ends, there being a receptacle belowsaid bars to catch too short leads which fall between said bars.

6. A leaded slat unit forming machine including a supporting frame, aconveyor table'mou-n-ted on the frame adapted to feed pre grooved slatsin a row along a predetermined path, the slats having their-groovedfaces upward and the grooves extending transversely of the direction oftravel, a pencil leadlaying mechanism mounted above said path inadjacent relation 'to the latter, said mechanism being operative todeposit pencil leads in the grooves of the slats so fed, and meansarranged to drive the conveyor table and lead laying mechanism in timedrelation; said lead laying mechanism including a rotary unit disposed tofeed leads one at a time but successivel into the grooves with movementof said row and rotation of said unit, the rotary unit beingcircumferentially notched with the notches parallel to the axis ofrotation, supporting means for a stackof transversely extending leads,the lower end of said stack riding the peripherally notched rotary unitto deliver leads into said notches, means to prevent escape of saidleads from the notches until substantially the low point of the rotaryunit .is reached, a hopper for pencil leads,=said hopper being mountedin spaced relation to the stack lengthwise of the machine, and endlessbelt conveyor 'journa'led .in upstanding relation :between :the hopperand stack, the upwardly moving run of said conveyor being transverselygrooved and passing through the hopper in lead pick-up relation, andmeans to transfer the picked-up leads from said conveyor to the stack.

7. In combination, a conveyor system adapted to feed a row of upwardlyfacing, ore-grooved pencil slats in .a row, the slats being fed throughone portion :of their ,path in abutment and through a following portionofsaid path in spaced relation, said conveyor systemafeeding the rowcontinuously through said one portion and with a dwell atone point insaid other portion, a pencil lead laying mechanism operativeto depositleads in the grooves of said slats. as they move through said oneportion :of said path, and another mechanism operative to apply otherpregrooved slats in matching relation to corresponding ones of saidleaded first named slats at said point of dwell.

8. In combination, a conveyor system adapted to dead a row of upwardlfacing, pro-grooved pencil slats .in a row, the slats being fed throughone portion of their path -.in abutment and through a following portionof said path in spaced relation, said conveyor system feeding the rowcontinuously through said one portion and with a dwell at one point insaid other portion, a pencil lead laying mechanism operative to depositleads in the grooves of said slats as they move through said one portionof said path, and another mechanism operative to apply other pregroovedslats in matching relation to corresponding ones of said leaded firstnamed slats at said point of dwell; the lead laying mechanism includinga rotary unit cooperating with the row of slats, and said othermechanism including a slat hopper and a conveyor to feed said otherslats from the hopper to said point of dwell.-

9. A leaded slat unit forming machine comprising a frame, a first drivenconveyor mounted in the frame, a second driven conveyor mounted in theframe in alinement with but spaced from the first conveyor, a yleldableplatform disposed in the space between the conveyors, a pencil leadlaying mechanism disposed immediately above the platform, means to feedgrooved pencilslats onto the first conveyor whereby the movement of suchfirst conveyor will move the slats across the platform and onto thesecond conveyor," and means effective to operate the pencil lead layingmechanism in timed relation to the slat movement to deposit leads intothe grooves of a slat as the latter passes across the platform.

10. A machine as in claim 9 including yieldable slat hold down shoesmounted on the frame and overhanging the platform.

11. A machine as in claim 9 in which the movement of the second conveyoris timed to be slightly slower than the movement of the first conveyor.

12. A machine as in claim 11 including a third and fourth conveyor bothof the cleat type, all of said conveyors being in alinement and arrangedso that slats will be progressively fed from one conveyor to the other,the cleats on the fourth conveyor running in trailing relation to thecleats on the third conveyor whereby to provide a dwell on the fourthconveyor, and means to attach a second slat in matching relation to aslat as the latter is positioned at said dwell.

WILLIAM H. WILCOX.

" REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis paitent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,489,567 Weiss Apr. 8, 19241,783,997 Burden et al. Dec. 9, 1930

